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HR in 2018: The defining trends

Published: January 19, 2018

With 2017 already feeling like a distant memory, it’s time to think about where your organisation is headed in 2018. As HR begins to take more of a strategic role within businesses and with workforces becoming increasingly tech-savvy and diverse, it’s important to consider what could be affecting your industry. HR trends define the way your business operates and succeeds, and if you don’t keep up you’ll fall behind – so here’s what to put on your radar this year…

More focus on productivity

Productivity has always been a hot topic for HR, but 2018 will see it being shifted back into focus. Overloads of stress, low employee engagement and professional burnout are becoming more prevalent in workplaces, something that has typically been addressed by simply hiring new members of staff. This year, attention will be drawn back to improving the working culture and boosting employee engagement. Whether it’s through introducing workplace wellness schemes to help alleviate stress or offering relevant training courses to show your employees that they are valued, it’s time to think about productivity.

Social recruiting

Blame it on the millennials, but recruitment has gone social. Although LinkedIn has long been used to scout for new talent, 2018 is set to be the year that more and more businesses also start to use other social platforms such as Instagram and Twitter for headhunting. By searching for hashtags and key words, it can be quick and easy to find a whole host of potential candidates looking for a job in the field. On the flip side of that, an increasing amount of job seekers use their phones to scour job sites – so make sure your business’ hiring platform is responsive and mobile-friendly.

Keeping flexible

The gig economy – where temporary contracts and ever-changing hours are the norm – was big news in 2017 thanks to on-demand services such as Deliveroo and Über. As the demand for flexible working increases, more processes need to be put in place to support the higher level of agility – after all, more workers with fluctuating hours are harder to keep track of than a regular 9-to-5 workforce, which can put a strain on the HR and payroll departments. A system that allows employees to manage their own shifts could be the way forward to make sure that nothing slips through the cracks.

Artificial Intelligence

We’re not saying that robots will start taking over your jobs, but IBM has estimated that in 2018, 62 per cent of enterprises will be using AI to automate time-consuming, laborious tasks. It’s predicted that AI will be particularly revolutionary when it comes to recruitment, as it eliminates any human biases based on factors such as a candidate’s gender or demeanour. Although AI might be out of reach right now for smaller businesses, your business can still jump on the tech bandwagon with an automated system that will help your HR process run more smoothly.

Which trends are you hoping to implement in your workplace this year? Let us know on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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